Remote control brake for phonograph turntable



May 27, 1958 o. L. SPAETH 2,836,253

REMOTE CONTROL BRAKE FOR PHONOGRAPH TURNTABLE Filed May 2l, 1954 INVENTOR. Orr@ L. 5404574 United States Patent C) REMOTE CQNTROL BRAKE FOR PHONOGRAPH TURNTABLE OttoL. Spaeth, New York, N. Y., assignor to The Spaeth Foundation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 21, 1954, Serial No. 431,386

2 Claims. (Cl. 18S-74) This invention relates to sound reproducing equipment, and more particularly to phonograph or transcription devices and a brake mechanism for momentary or intermittent stopping of the same.

Phonographs are used not only for entertainment but also for study. A music student may study a musical recording, or a language student a language recording. The primary object of the present invention is to improve phonographs for use by students. A more specific object is to provide an accessory which operates as a remotely controllable brake and which is readily added to substantially all types of phonograph. A further object is to provide such an accessory which is readily removed from the phonograph without marring the appearance of the same, and thus is readily transferrable to another phonograph. Indeed the accessory is so compact and light that it may be pocketed and carried by a student for use on a phonograph wherever located.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the remote control brake elements, and their relation one to another and to the phonograph, as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by a drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing a phonograph brake embodying features of my invention applied to a conventional phonograph;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the brake mechanism, drawn to enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a section taken approximately on the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a section taken approximately on the plane of the' line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly Fig. l, the phonograph comprises a base 12 housing a suitable driving motor and conventional drive mechanism, commonly arranged nowadays for multiple speed drive. The controls for stopping, starting and speed change have been omitted in Fig. l, but it will be understood that even when such devices are disposed close to the rotatable element, most of the periphery of the rotatable element is nevertheless left free and accessible. The pickup arm is indicated at 16, it being pivoted at 18, and at its forward end carrying one or more stylii for vibrating a pickup, which may be of the crystal or magnetic variable reluctance or other suitable type, and which is housed at 20.

The remote control brake is here shown as an accessory comprising a support 22 adapted to be mounted adjacent the periphery of the rotatable element. There is a friction brake shoe 24 movable toward and away from the periphery of the rotatable element, and a remote contrel element 26 connected to the brake shoe by a suitable flexible means 28. In the specific mechanism shown the control means is a manually operable air compressing means, which in simplest form may be a squeezable air Mice bulb such as those used for syringes, and the connection means 28 is a relatively slender long exible tube.

Referring now to Fig. 4, the brake mechanism comprises an air chamber 30 and a brake shoe 24 which is movable toward and away from the periphery of the rotatable element, as indicated by the dotted position 24', and which acts as one end of the air chamber 3i?. he brake shoe is preferably made of rubber. The exible tube 28 is secured to a nipple 32, the opposite end of which is connected to the air chamber 30. It will thus be seen that squeezing the bulb forces the brake shoe 2.4i against the rotatable element for so long as the bulb is squeezed.

Referring now -to Fig. 3, the support for the brake mechanism preferably employs a rubber suction cup 34 as its base. This is initially more steeply conical in shape, and is shown in its squeezed-down position in Fig. 3. lnasmuch as the top surface of the phonograph near the rotatable element is ordinarily a smooth metal plate or a highly polished wood panel, the suction cup holds effectively to such a surface. The use of a suc- `tion cup makes it possible to position the brake on substantially all types of phonograph, and at any convenient point around the periphery of the rotatable element. By

using a suction cup the accessory may be removed without marring the phonograph.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, the suction cup carries a metal bracket having a horizontal part 36 and a vertical part 38. The horizontal part 36 is secured to the suction cup by means of a screw 4t) and an ornamentally finished nut 42. An appropriate washer or/and lock washer may be used beneath the nut. The vertical part 38 is preferably slotted as shown at 44. This slot makes it possible to adjust the height of the brake relative to the suction cup, so that it will best fit the height of the rotatable element in any particular phonograph. it is convenient to dispose the slot 44 at an angie as shown in Fig. 3 instead of vertically, thus permitting the nipple 32 to move past the nut 42, and so making it possible to top surface 46 of the phonograph, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 3.

Referring now to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the nipple 32 is formed with a ange 4S which bears against one side of the bracket 38, while a preferably lrnurled nut 50 bears against the other side. The nut Si) is threadedly received on a threaded portion 52 of the nipple 32. With this arrangement the adjustment for proper height of the brake may be made readily without the use of tools. ln practice the change of height is rarely needed, but when needed is readily accomplished as described above, by turning the nut 5u. The knurling is best shown in Fig. 2.

The chamber 30 (Fig. 4) is made up of an annular spacer 54 received within the flange 56 of a back plate The momentary brake shoe 24 is rnade of rubber or like eXible material, and is formed integrally with a Harige 69, which acts as a yieldable diaphragm. This flange is clamped against the spacer ring 54 by means of a clamping ring e2, the latter including a part 64 which bears against the ange eti, and an opposite part 66 which is crimped or spun inwardly around the baci; plate 58 in order to complete the assembly. The end of nipple 32 has a flange 68 and a rivet portion the end of which is spread or riveted outwardly as shown at 70. A gasket 72 may be inserted during the assembly operation to make the chamber leak-proof.

it wili be understood that the ccmpressible air bulb 26 (Fig. 2) may be like those commonly used in syringes, and that it is accordingly provided with an air inlet or check valve, indicated at 74.

lt is believed that the construction and method of use of my remote control brake for phonographs, as well be made inthe structure shown, without departing from the scope of the inventiorntas sought to be dened in YYYthe following claims.Y In the claims l have for convenience YreferredV to the bulb or remote Ycontrol element as Vbeing manually operable, but thisis not intended to exclude foot operation, Which'm'ay be more convenient Vin the case of a violinist or pianist or Vother'such instrumentalist playing along with a record,;or in the case of a language student'talring written notes. Y Y

Iclaim;VV A y lfA light-weight poclcetable Vremote control brake for atphonograph for V momentary or intermittentstopping Y of the rotatable element, said brake comprising a rubber ,suction cup acting as a support and adapted to be readily temporarily'positioned,on substantially all types of phono: graphs,immediately adjacent the periphery of therotat-f able element, an enclosed air chamber, Va friction brake applied Without -shaking shoe movable radially of the rotatable element toward and away from the periphery of the'rotatable element Y and acting as one end of the Vair chamber, a metal bracket` secured `to said suction cup, means including a manually j Y operable screw elementV on said bracket for raisingy or y lowering the air chamber and shoe relative to the suc- ,t VY.tion cup in order to it the height Vof the"rotatable elef`V Y Yment', aY remote controltmanually squeezable means to compress air, and a flexible tube extending between the' L last said means and said air chamber, whereby squeezing ,Y

k2,836,262;Vv Y Ai ofV said means forces the brake shoe'against the'rotatable element for only so long as the said means is squeezed, i

Without shaking or jarring the phonograph. f

2. A light-weight poclretable remote control brake for a phonograph forrmomentar'y onintermittent stopping of the rotatable elernentsaidV brake comprising a rubber suction cup acting as asupport and adapted to be readilyv temporarily positionedlon substantially all types of phonographs immediately adjacent the periphery of the rotatable element. an enclosed air chamber, a friction brake" shoe movable radially off the rotatablerelement toward and away from the periphery of the rotatable element and acting as one end of the air chamber, a slotted Vrnetal'bracket secured to said suction cup, means including a manually` operable knurled Vscrew element movable inthe slot of said bracketV for raising or lowering Vthe air Ychamber and shoe relative" to the suction cup inY order to fit the height Vof Vthe rotatable elemenna remote Y control manually squeezable air bulb, and a` thin iexible tube extending'between ,saidV bulb Vand said air chamber for remote control ofithe brake, whereby squeezing of said bulb Vforces thekbrake shoe against the rotatableelement for only so long as thesaidbulb is squeezed, `without shalringfor'jarring thev phonograph. Y

References yCiteil in le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Basses 'stranbe Y r--- r sept. 7, 1886YV V1,022,656 g Brunt Apr. 9, '1912 1,171,410 Bono Y Y Feb. 1511916 2,180,255 VP'revin Nov.rl4, 1935)V 2,251,443 FawiCk Allg.V y5, V194.1 t Y i 2,257,610 Kraft V Sept. 30,11941 2,426,241Y Rodman Aug.'26,Y 1947 2,711,802

Davis- June 2.8, 1955 

